Repent or Resign -- What to Say and Not Say from the Evangelical Pulpit

(AgapePress) - "Let me just say this right now: If you vote for John Kerry this year, you need to repent or resign."

Tough words, those. And they cost the pastor of a small church in North Carolina his job when he resigned this week. A number of explanations for these words have been articulated.

• Bad reporting? Almost certainly; that is what the liberal media is known for. But, to be fair, the liberal media outlet I was viewing played a tape. That is good reporting.



• Hyperbole? Sure, these words were likely uttered in the heat of a passionate sermon. But, the pastor knew this: any candidate like Mr. Kerry who boldly and proudly votes in favor of child sacrifice (abortion) and child-sacrifice four-fifths out of the womb (partial-birth abortion) is no friend of the Church of Jesus Christ as a whole or of a small Baptist church in North Carolina. Kerry was wrong on most social and moral issues of import to evangelicals, and pastor Chan Chandler knew it.
  
  Were that all pastors across this nation were so enlightened.



• Other dynamics within the congregation?
Sure sounds like it. Quite beyond the pastor, it seems as though a war was brewing within the church. The near future of that congregation appears to be on shaky ground. The old campfire song "They will know we are Christians by our love ..." would be a good tune to start humming

As a middle-aged pastor and a seminary professor for nearly 20 years, let me add a little counsel for young pastors ready to set the world aflame for Christ:

Stick to the basics. The Word of God clearly explained and spoken by pastors who are Spirit-filled, driven by Great Commission purpose and are themselves in the cultural fight (beyond their preaching ministries) is what is changing the world for the glory of God.

Figure out who you really want in your congregation. A former mentor of mine was once told by a district superintendent that his was the "sickest" congregation of any the DS had ever encountered. My friend replied, "Thank you very much."

Where do you want the homosexuals, the pro-abortionists, the crack-addicted, the alcoholics and, yes, even the -- gasp! -- Kerry supporters, if not in your congregation hearing the God-breathed Word of the Lord? Don't kick them out -- bring them on.

Beware of political cheerleading. A former governor of my state was the darling of the religious right. Evangelicals sang his praises as he led in prayer before political rallies and fought for all the issues the conservative Church took seriously. Then he was photographed returning from Paris with his girlfriend. Then the messy divorce. Then the mocking of the churched people who had stood by him all the while as the "liberal media" chased after him. He said C'mon, you knew the truth all along. The real truth was this -- evangelicals are prone, like everyone else, to cheerlead their candidate instead of calling their favorite politicians into accountability.

Important stuff to remember of the current evangelical resident of the Oval Office, who appoints homosexuals to high offices and signs bills awarding money to Planned Parenthood.

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Pastors ought to have the constitutional right to say whatever they want from their pulpits. Even inappropriate and stupid things. But a political right doesn't necessary mean the better part of wisdom.

Remember -- the Great Commission is our commission. To make disciples, not Bush supporters or Republican voters.